FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team took down No. 10 Fairmont State at home by a score of 89-62 in a conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons won the jump but missed their first three point attempt of the game. Frostburg secured the rebound finding sophomore Emilee Weakley up the court for a quick 2-0 lead. Next play down, Fairmont tied things up 2-2. A turnover caused a foul, sending the Falcons to the line, allowing them to take a 4-2 lead. A post move by freshman Jenna Muha tied the game at four apiece. Fairmont missed their next opportunity, as freshman Grace Middleton grabbed the rebound and found graduate Maggie Sharp at the top of the arc for a three and a 7-4 Frostburg lead. The Bobcats were called for a personal foul, resulting in Fairmont getting a free shot from the line to bring the score to 7-5. After chaos in the middle, Weakley took hold of the ball and found herself with a layup extending the game to 9-5. A turnover by the Falcons caused the ball to end up in the hands of freshman Alana Tate, who created two more points for Frostburg. Tate was then sent to the line where she went two-for-two , adding to the Bobcats lead to bring the game to 13-5. A steal by Middleton allowed her a wide-open layup to increase Frostburg's lead to 10. After four minutes, Fairmont was finally able to connect to make it a 15-7 game. Both teams scrambled for the following two minutes until Fairmont was fouled and connected on both free throws. To finish out the quarter, graduate Ciara Thomas slipped a pass to junior Harley Herndon, as the Bobcats went up by eight 17-9.
Fairmont hit an early three to cut FSU's lead to five 17-12 to open the second quarter. Shortly after, Thomas was sent to the line converting two more for the Bobcats for a 19-12 score. After a steal, Fairmont hit another three to cut the deficit to four, 19-15. A missed three by the Bobcats created a layup for the Falcons, allowing Farimont to get within two 19-17. Free throws were swapped by both teams as the score was brought to 20-18. Junior Jasmine Johnson checked into the game, used her height, and found the basket to bring the game to 22-18. Weakley scored nine points in two minutes compared to Fairmont's four, as Frostburg jumped ahead 31-22. After a layup by the Falcons, Sharp knocked down another three to keep the Bobcats ahead by nine. The final point of the half was scored off a free throw from Weakley, as Frostburg led 37-27 at the break.
Possession stared with the Falcons scoring the first points of the half to make the score 37-29. Middleton answered back with an unassisted layup, allowing the Bobcats to go up by 10. A layup by the Falcons was missed and found the hands of Sharp. Sharp to Middleton to Tate created an easy two to bring the game to 41-29. A three by Fairmont brought the Falcons back within nine, 41-32. Middleton created back-to-back plays where she found the rebound and took the ball coast-to-coast for four solo points and a 49-33 game. The Falcons had an open three, but Johnson answered back, securing herself a three-point play for a 52-36 score. With five minutes left, Fairmont broke through with a layup, but Weakley would come down and hit a three to bring the score to 55-38. Coming out of a timeout, Weakley stole the ball and found Tate, who was sent to the line hitting two to extend the game to 57-38. Teams traded threes, layups, and free throws as Frostburg went into the fourth quarter up 66-49.
Muha swatted the ball to open the fourth and final quarter, but it found a Falcon for a putback and a 66-51 score. A blocked three on the next play turned into a layup for the Falcons to bring the game to 66-53. Frostburg quickly inbounded the ball and Middleton found Herndon for another layup to put the Bobcats up 15, 68-53. Weakley had the next six points for Frostburg to go up 74-55. Fairmont missed a three, Muha pulled down the rebound and found Middleton on the run for Frostburg's largest lead of the game. In the following minutes, the Falcons created six points compared to the Bobcat's two, but Frostburg would stay on top 78-61. Muha, Tate, and Weakley combined for Frostburg's last 11 points. Fairmont was unable to keep up with the Bobcats, resulting in a 89-62 Frostburg win.
Weakley (29), Tate (18), and Middleton (15) were all in double figures, as Weakley contributed eight rebounds, with Middleton right behind her with seven. Tate led the team with four steals, with Weakley following with three. Middleton assisted on six baskets and Muha swatted the ball twice.
With the conclusion of today's game, Frostburg moves to an overall record of 10-8 and a conference record of 7-4, while Fairmont falls to an overall record of 15-3 and a conference record of 9-2. The Bobcats are back in action on Wednesday, January 31 as they travel to Glenville State to take on the Pioneers with a start time of 5:30 PM. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.
